Fluid control applicator



Oct. 20, 1942. E. HOLLENBECK ETAL FLUID CONTROL APPLICATOR Filed April O, 1940 1115111? #11: 4:02: rzwzr aaa I 22 241g; L I ICE-6 IN VENTORS ERNEST L .HOLLENBECK JOSEPH W.L.UCAS,JR.

QM flat/- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Get. 20, 1942 FLUID CONTROL APPLICATOR Ernest L. Hollenbeck and Joseph W. Lucas, Jr., East Orange, N. J.

Application April 30, 1940, Serial No. 332,454

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in fluid control applicators.

A salient improvement has to do with the valve duct and the cooperation therewith of one or more teats for regulating the flow of liquid in a positive manner and eliminating the possibility of clogging.

Another improvement resides in the simplification of structural features of the complete assembly whereby production may be accelerated and at the same time accomplished with maximum economy.

A still further improvement consists in rabbeting one extremity of the spreader and fitting thereover applicating fabric so that it will occupy a position approximately flush with the body of the spreader and effectively resist any tendency to become displaced.

In a generic sense, our invention includes a nipple having a duct provided with a fluid regulating teat or nib,apair of valves anda spreader tongueall of these elements being preferably, although not necessarily, cast as an integral unit. The spreader tongue is equipped with an applicating fabric, and upon attaching the unit to any suitable reservoir and utilizing the reservoir as a handle liquid is fed uniformly through the Valve to the applicating extremity and thence to the article under treatment by a simple back and forth brush-like movement of the spreader. Manifestly, the assembly may be made in different sizes and with obvious modifications which are compatible with particular requirements.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention applied to a reservoir, the upper portion of which has been broken away.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of the assembly exhibited in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along lines 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation of the type exhibited in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along lines 66 of Fig. 5'.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the form shown in Fig. 2 when the spreader is applied to a given piece of work, and

Fig. 8 is a similar view with respect to Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and with especial reference to Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the fluid control assembly involves a nipple Ill having a split longitudinally at l2-l3 to form a spreader tongue I4 flanked by a pair of flap-valves l5l6. The splits extend to points equidistant from, and terminate short of, the bottom of said body, at which junction the tongue and flap-valves merge into an integral structure.

Spreader tongue I4 projects beyond the adjacent ends of flap-valves l5l6 and has its outer extremity rabbeted at I1. to receive an applicating strip [8 of fabric, or the like-the latter being secured to the reduced extremity of the tongue by any suitable adhesive and occupying a relationship approximately flush with the lower portion of the tongue so as to be devoid of any jutting edges that might be snagged and thereby result in inopportune separation of strip I8.

Valves l5-I6 have their exterior faces fluted lengthwise at I920 to present minimum surface for frictional engagement with the locking ring 2| and to allow for expeditious purchase on the ring when it is desired to shift it from one position to another.

Medially of the nipple and disposed at right angles to vertical axis of the tongue I4, is a duct 22-open at its inner end. It is rectangular in cross section and extends to a point below the outer terminals of valves l5|6. Here a pair of teats or nibs 23preferably inclined outwardlyproject inwardly from the end of duct 22, and

lie relatively spaced therein, the free terminal of each teat being designed to contact the inner wall of the adjacent valve and regulate the feed of liquid thereto, as will be hereinafter explained.

To insure sealing of the nipple with any conventional sort of closure, as 24, the base of the nipple is provided with a flange 25 which when cap 24 is screwed home relative the reservoir 26, serves as a washer.

In the modified type illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and '7a form devised for finer and more accurate application of a given liquid-tongue 21 projects laterally slightly beyond the confines of valves 2829 and the latter have an evenly rounded conformation in contradistinction to being flutedthe whole protruding assembly in this instance being encased in an elongated cap 30 which frictionally engages the side edges of the tongue, the valves, and the base of the flapvalves and retains these parts in their proper relation in lieu of a ring or sleeve 2|. Moreover, in this modification only a single teat 31, extending medially from the outer end of duct 22, is employed to regulate the flow of liquid. In all other respects, the construction of the two forms body [I of general cylindrical contour, which is are identical- Again referring to the form of our invention exhibited in Fig. 1, reservoir 26 is filled with suitable liquid and the fluid control assembly is secured thereto as previously explained. With the particular article, which it is desired to treat in readiness, ring 2| is moved downwardly towards screw cap 24 to permit freedom of movement of the various components of the assembly. Utilizing the reservoir as a handle, the applicating fabric I8 is worked back and forth over the article. Now normally, flap-valves l 5l6 lie in close contact with opposite faces of spreader tongue [4 and quite obviously maintain opposite sides of the outer end of duct 22 closed. So upon freeing the valves and subjecting the tongue to a back and forth motion it will be readily seen that it operates to flex first one valve and then the other leaving the unflexed Valve spread away from the 7 adjacent face of the tongue, thereby permitting air to enter the reservoir and liquid to flow from duct 22 on to teats 23 and down theinner face of valves l5-l6 on to tongue I4 and finally to the applicating fabric I8. In this operation the teats serve in-a very important capacityregulating the flow of liquid to an extreme nicety, precluding the discharge of the surplus amount of liquid, and eliminating clogging altogether. Furthermore, the teats increase surface tension, and the valves are made to serve a dual function: (1) not only as valves per se but (2) as feeders for the spreader tongue.

When the work has been completed, the valves may be closed by moving ring 2| outwardly as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In the case of the modified form illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and '7 the operation is substantially the same as that just described, with the exceptions '(1) that a tubular closure 30 is substituted for ring 2| as a valve locking medium and (2) a single teat 3| controls the flow of liquid from duct 22. It will be understood that when the device is not in use the closure 39 is removed to release the valves and gain access to the spreader.

The nipple may be manufactured from any desirable material as rubber, or the equivalent thereof. If rubber is used it is obviously conceivable that its elasticity and solidity'can be varied so that the valves will inherently be selfactuating and eliminate the necessity for locking sleeves or closures.

We claim:

1. A fluid control assembly comprising a body having a duct therein, a spreader tongue, a flapvalve associated with said tongue, and means in said duct engageable with the valve for directing and regulating the flow of fluid from the duct with respect to the tongue.

2. A fluid control assembly comprising a body having a duct therein, a spreader tongue, 2. flapvalve associated with said tongue, and a teat in said duct engageable with the valve for directing and regulating the flow 0f fluid from the duct with respect to the tongue.

3. A fluid control assembly comprising a body having a duct therein, a spreader tongue, a pair of flap-valves flanking said tongue, and means in said duct engageable with the valves for directing and regulating the flow of fluid from the duct with respect to the tongue.

4. A fluid control assembly comprising a body having a duct therein, a spreader tongue, a pair of flap-valves flanking said tongue, and a pair of teats in said duct engageable with the valves for directing and regulating the flow of fluid from the duct with respect to the tongue.

5. A fluid control assembly comprising a body including a spreader tongue and a flap-valve, said tongue having its outer extremity rabbeted, and a strip of applicating fabric carried by said extremity, said tongue being provided with a fluid feed duct.

" faces, a duct in said body leading to said surfaces 6. A fluid control assembly comprising a body having a duct therein, a spreader tongue, a flapvalve associated with said tongue, means in said duct engageable with the valve for directing and regulating the flow of fluid from the duct with respect to the tongue, and means for locking the valve.

7. A fiuid control assembly comprising a body, a flexible spreader having opposed surfaces, a pair of flap-valves confronting said spreader surfaces, a duct in said body leading to said surfaces and normally closed by said valves, whereby when said spreader is flexed in one direction or the other one of said valves or the other will be opened to allow liquid from said duct to be supplied to one or the other of said surfaces, and means adjustably embracing said valves for securing the latter against opening and regulating the degree of opening of said valves.

8 A fluid control assembly comprising a body, a flexible spreader having opposed surfaces, a pair of flap-valves confronting said spreader surand normally closed by said valves, whereby when said spreader is flexed in one direction or the other one of said valves or the other will be opened to allow liquid from said duct to be supplied to one or the other of said surfaces, and a rigid cap covering said spreader and frictionally engaging said valves for retaining the latter against opening.

9. A fluid control assembly comprising a body,

a flexible and resilient spreader tongue on said body, normally straight, and having opposed surfaces, a duct in said tongue leading to said surfaces, and a pair of resilient and flexible flapvalves on said body and flanking said tongue surfaces, said flap-valves normally paralleling said 

